Gas generator



Dec. 22, 1931. J. F. GIBSON ET\AL GAS GENERATOR Filed May 19 1950 Patented Dec. 22 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES F. GIBSON, 0F MADISON, AND

WILLIAM H. STRATHEARN, 0F MILWAUKEE,

A CORPORATION 01' WISCONSIN GAS GENERATOR Application filed Kay 19,

Our invention relates to an improvement in gas generators.

The object of our invention is to provide a generator wherein hydrocarbon liquid may be converted into gas usable in the ordinary burners which are now provided for the combustion of' gas supplied through city gas mains.

More particularly stated, it is an ob'ect of our invention to provide a generator w erein hydrocarbon liquid, including highl volatile and less volatile portions, may e successfully converted into useable gas because of the inclusion of means for disposing of the less volatile ends.

Another object of our invention is to provide a gas generator wherein the atomization is carried on at low pressures so that the less volatile portions of commercial hydrocarbon may have more opportunity to be converted into vapor.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of our gas producing generator assembly with the generator itself in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters in both views.

We are aware that numerous devices for converting liquid hydrocarbon into a gas for use directly as a gaseous fuel have heretofore been devised. But in such previously devised structures difliculties have been encountered which are overcome by the generator which we have shown in the drawings wherein the generator itself comprises a tank 10 to which hydrocarbon is fed from a supply tank 11 and in conjunction with which we use a power unit including a motor 12, an air compressor 13 and a pump 14 arranged as indicated in Figure 1.

T e lower part of the generator 10 comprises a sump wherein hydrocarbon 15 is maintained at a constant level by means of a float valve 16 controlled by a float 17. This valve and float may be of any approved construction. At a height slightly above the level of the hydrocarbon 15 in the sump at the base of the generator 10 I provide a horiieao. Serial No. 453,681.

zontal partition or floor 1% through which are projected a number of spray nozzles 19 provided with tubes 20 which extend downwardly into the hydrocarbon supply 15 to a point adjacent the bottom 21 of the generator 10.

The construction of the spray nozzles is not an essential feature of our invention, but we have shown at 22 a vertical section of the nozzle which We found most efiective for the purpose of carrying out our gas producing operation and it will be noted that the interior portion 23 of the nozzle surrounding the upper end of the tube 20 is in direct communication with the space 2 1 above the hydrocarbon and beneath the floor 18. Each spray nozzle, as indicated most clearly at 22, terminates at its upper extremity in an orifice 25 through which hydrocarbon drawn upwardly through the tube 20 is discharged under pressure of air pumped into the space 24 by means of the pump 13 which draws air through a pipe 26 and forces it through pipe 27 into said space 24' and upwardly into the nozzles 19.

An equalizer pipe 28 maintains pressure uponthe hydrocarbon supply in the tank 11 so as to permit operation of the float controlled valve 16 to which the hydrocarbon passesthrough pipe 29. A battle 30 is disposed in the upper portion of the generator 10 to prevent li uid hydrocarbon from reaching a pipe 31w ich comprises the outlet for the generator.

In the operation of our device we provide for a moderate pressure of air in the generator generally so that pressure may not materially resist the vaporization of the heavier ends of the hydrocarbon to which we have re- 1 ferred above. And to this end we have provided a reducer valve at 31' and a relief valve as indicated in Figure 1 in the air pressure line from the compressor so that the proper pressure may be provided for in the supply pipe 31 and any excess of pressure produced by the compressor may be released by the relief valve. As a result of this arrangement the release of pressure in the chamber 32 above the floor 18 permits the escape of air from the space '24 beneath the floor through the spray nozzles with the result that a venturi withdrawal of hydrocarbon 15 from the bottom of the sump causes a spray beneath the baflle 30 so as to vaporize the proper amount of hydrocarbon and thereby generate 5 gas forfurther supply through the pipe 31.

Although the proper pressure in the chamber 32 above the floor is maintained, and ideal conditions for vaporization of hydrocarobn exist within the chamber there will obviously be a certain amount of unvaporized hydrocarbon sprayed from the nozzles 19 and this unvaporized hydrocarbon will fall to the floor 18 which comprises a receptacle wherein these heavy ends will accumulate until they are drawn through a pipe 33 to pump 14 which will pass them through pipe 3% and through secondary spray nozzles in the endsof the pipes 35 which project into the space 24. below the floor 18.

These secondar spray nozzles are not of the Venturi type ut are intended to operate as an ordinary hose nozzle will operate to finely divide the heavier ends and spray them into the space 24.

Under ordinary operating conditions, therefore, the heavier ends will be returned through the pipe 33, the pump 14, and the secondary spray nozzles in the ends of the pipes 35 so that every possible opportunity for vaporization of. these heavier ends will be afiorded. 4

Throughout the operation of our device, the lighter and most volatile elements in the hydrocarbon liquid will constantly be passedfrom the space 24 throughthe nozzles into the chamber 32 and the Venturi operation through the tubes 20 will be constantly mixing with the highly volatile elements of the hydrocarbon, a a large proportion of the heavier elements or heavy ends of the hydrocarbon'drawn from the lower portions of the sump and this combination of normal vaporization, forced spray nozzle vaporization and the spraying of the secondary nozzles from the pipes 35, comprise an important phase of the operation of my device which contributes largely to the successful operation which our generator has demonstrated.

We claim 1. The combination with a generator chamber provided with a hydrocarbon supply, of a spray nozzle within the chamber forspraying the hydrocarbon, means for accumulating liquid hydrocarbon not vaporized by the spray nozzle, and means for withdrawing the accumulated liquid and spraying it over the hydrocarbon supply.

2. The combination with a generator chamber and a separate chamber provided with a hydrocarbon supply, of a partition therebetween forming a receptacle, a spray nozzle extending through the partition whereby to spray hydrocarbon from the hydrocarbon supply into the generator chamber, and circu- 65 lating means for withdrawing liquid hydrocarbon from the receptacle and spraying it over the hydrocarbon supply.

3. The combination with a generator including an upper chamber and a lower chamber separated by a partition floor, the lower chamber comprising a sump for hydrocarbon at a constant level below said floor, of means for supplying air under pressure under said floor, spray nozzles extending through said floor and provided with tubes for withdrawing hydrocarbon from. the bottom of said sump, said spray nozzles including passages extending through said floor.

4 The combination with a chambered generator wherein one of the chambers includes a sump for liquid fuel and another comprises an accumulator chamber for an accumulation of vaporized fuel, of a spray nozzle extending into the accumulator and provided with means-for withdrawing liquid from the sump, said nozzle and the first mentioned chamber being provided with passages for air under pressure to be introduced over the sump and passed through the nozzle.

f 5. The combination with a chambered generator including an upper and lower chamber separated by a floor, said floor being provided with apertures fitted with nozzles provided with upwardly directed orifices, of tubes extending from the lower part of the lower chamber into said nozzles and about which tubes air passages are provided for the passage of air from the lower chamber to the upper chamber through said orifices, and means for suplying air under pressure to said lower chamber, and means for supplying hydrocarbon at a constant level to the lower chamber.

6. The combination with a generator provided with a chamber for vaporized fuel, of spray nozzles extending into said chamber, the lower part of the chamber including a receptacle for receiving unvaporized :tuel descending in said chamber and means for repassing said unvaporized fuel through said nozzles, said means including secondary spray pozlzles for reatomizing said unvaporized 7. The combination with a hydrocarbon gas generator, of a chamber for receiving vapor, nozzles for vaporizing hydrocarbon in said chamber, another chamber partly filled with liquid hydrocarbon and connections for pass ing hydrocarbon to said nozzles, and means for accumulating unvaporized hydrocarbon in the first mentioned chamber and spraying it over the liquid hydrocarbon in the other.

JAMES F. GIBSON. WILLIAM H. STRATHEARN. 

